Bn Mic Rift Nears Breaking Point As Zahid Says Parties Free To Leave

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BARISAN Nasional (BN) chairperson Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has declared that BN will not stop MIC or any component party from leaving the coalition — a stark shift in tone just a week after he pledged to meet MIC and MCA leaders to calm growing tensions within BN.
His latest remarks signal that the decades-old alliance may be edging closer to a breaking point amid widening rifts between its key partners.
However, yesterday (Oct 17), Zahid said he was confident that MIC would make a “wise decision” during its annual general meeting (AGM) next month and hoped it would not be one the party would regret later.
MIC has broken from tradition by not inviting Zahid or any BN component leaders to attend its upcoming AGM.
“We are open. BN used to have 14 component parties, and there was no compulsion for any party to join or exit BN,” Berita Harian quoted Zahid as saying. “Surely they would make a wise decision at the MIC annual general meeting to determine which coalition they want to join, as long as they do not regret it later.”
Zahid, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, was responding to MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran’s announcement that the party’s Nov 16 AGM would be a one-day event focused solely on internal matters.
“No one will be invited, including Zahid. This AGM is for MIC delegates and representatives only,” Vigneswaran said.
The strained ties between MIC and UMNO have deepened in recent months, following Vigneswaran’s earlier remarks calling Zahid a “liar” and growing dissatisfaction over seat allocations under the BN-Pakatan Harapan electoral arrangement. –  Focus Malaysia

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